Die-fitting apparatus



,Aug 28, E923. v 11466259 W. A. VALENTINE DIE FITTING APPARATUS Filed March 13. 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 28, i923. y L466259 w. A. VALENTINE DIE FITTING APPARATUS Filed March 1s, 1920 3 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR Mmmm@ w. A. VALENTINE DIE FITTING APPARATUS Aug. 28, w23. I I M6625@ Filed March l5. 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR WAQAM mmm ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 28, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

WILLIAM A. VALENTINE, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ABSIGNOB T0 EDWARD G. BUDD MANUFACTURING COMPANY. OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

DIE-FITTING APPARATUS.`

Application led March 13, 1920. Serial No. 365,883.

To all w/zom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. VALEN- TINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, countyn of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Die-Fitting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. l

This invention relates to die fitting apparatus, and particularly to apparatus to enable large heavy male and female steel or -other metal dies to be accurately fitted together.

The `object of the invention is to-provide an apparatus in which heavy steel .and other dies may be accurately fitted together beforethey are mounted in the die press, and which apparatus is simple in structure .and efficient in operation.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as will f be more fully! hereinafter set forth, and

shown in the accompanying drawings and finally pointed out in the appended claims. In the drawings Fi. l is a view in front elevation of .a die tting apparatus embodying the principles of my invention. Q

Fig. 2 is a broken detail view in section on the line 2, 2, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing the manner of connecting the die carrying block to one of its supporting and actuating screws.

Fig. 3 is a View in side elevation of the4 apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a view in vertical section through the gearing for actuating the screws which support the die carrying block;

F ig. 5 is a view in perspective of a die carrying block detached from the apparatus;

Fig. 6 is a view in top lan of an auxiliary die supporting plate whlch, if desired, may be carried by themain die carrying block, a part being shown in section on the line 6, 6 Fi ,Figa 7 is a side view of the same, partly in section, on the line 7, 7, Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a base. plate for supporting one of the dies to be fitted;

The same part is designated by the same ings, and articularly stampings of lar size, as wel as of irregular shape, it is t e practice to employ dies, the male and female members of which fit accurately together and when placed in a die ress in proper relation to each other and rought together with a sheet steel plate between them, the sheet steel plate is drawn or pressed into the shape determined by the contour of the die surfaces. Experience has shown that the best results are secured by employin solid instead of sectional dies as thereby t e trouble is avoided of forming creases or lines in the stamping or drawn product due to lthe pressure .of seams and joints in the die surfaces. It has been attempted to lemployl sectional dies for such .work and to fill up the joints or seams in the die surfaces where the die sections come together, but this practice does not alwa s remove the trouble and has been found 1n many cases to be unsatisfactory and to lead to additional expense in removin from the stampings produced ridges or ot er markings produced therein by lthe joints or seams or the filling therefor in the die surfaces. For these and other reasons I have found it more economical and more satisfactory to make the dies in single pieces instead of in sections. This, however, necessitates the employment of large heavy die castings.

It is necessary to accurately fit together the male and female members of the dies before they are employed for production, and this .necessity applies no't only to single piece die members but also to .die members made in sections.

.Heretofore it has been the custom and practice to mount the male and female memers of the die in the die press and then to accurately fit the two together by cut and try, the two die faces being painted or coated over with a suitable material 'and then brought together and any inaccuracies in mum separation of the their fitting together will be shown by the paint or coat material. 'Ihen by filing, cutting or otherwise, the die surfaces are brought more nearly into accurate f it with each other and the painting or coating impression and filing or cutting operations are repeated over andover again until finally the desired accurate regist/er and fit of the two die faces is attaine rllhis operation is necessaril slow and tedious, and, of course, while eing carried on in the die press, the press itself is out of commission for production, sometimes for many hours, and even for days, while the die fitting operations are proceeding. This is a serious oblection in' a large' establishment where rapid quantity production is important. Again, the .die presses are large 'and expensive machines and While out of commission for production they represent loss in investment during the time they remain idle, and 1t is not economical nor efficient practice for a plant to carry spare die presses. Moreover, where large and hea die members are employed, the work of litting the dies together is rendered exceedin ly ditlicult and the time required 1s material increased, where the dies are fitted together while in the presses because oit' the lack of available space between the die surfaces for carrying on the fitting operations, even. when the die members are separated to the utmost extent permittedby the press structure, for presses ordinarily are constructed to permit onl a sufficient maxiie members to accommodate the insertion and removal of the work between and from the dies.

To overcome these practical objections, and they are, and I have found them to be, serious objections, I propose to provide an apparatus in which the die fitting operations may be carried on and accomplished before the dies are mounted in the die press. And, in accordance with my'present invention, I employ a simple inexpensive structure for this purpose which permits sufiicient separation of the die members to afford ample room and space between the die surfaces in which to effect the die fitting,v tiling and cutting operations. By employing such anapparatus, and eecting the die fitting operations therein before the dies are mounted in the presses, it is not necessary to interrupt the production operation of a press except merel to e'ect a removal of one set of dies there rom and the substitution of a new set of dies which have already been accurately fitted together. In other words the die fitting operations have been accomplished outside of the press itself, and the useful production Work of the press has not been interrupfed or suspended to allow the die fittings to e e'ected in the press.

In the drawings I have shown a simple structure of die fitting apparatus which emincense bodies in one form the principles Iof my invention and wherein I employ a base 10, which if necessary, may be suitably anchore as, for example, by headed anchor bolts (not shown) received in theslots 11. Upon this base I erect the opposing vertical side standards 12, having guides 13 on their opposed vertical faces. A die supporting b ock la is mounted between the standards 12, and is formed with channel ways 15 in its ends which tit to and slide upon the guides 13 of the standards. 'Ihe block 14 carried by vertical screw rods 16, one at each end, by which it is raised and lowered as required. 'Ihe block supporting lscrews 16 ma be attached to the die carrying block in any suitable or convenient manner. 'A simple arrangement is shown, see Fig. 2 wherein the lower end ofy the screw pro]ects into a chamber 17 of the block 14 and a collar or other abutment 18 is mounted on the end of the screw rod inside this chamber. 'Ihis upper end wall of the chamber bears or seats upon this collar, thus forming a suspended support for the block while at the same time permitting relative movement of the screw rods and block. rIhe screw rods are referably held against rotation. This may e accomplished in any suitable'or convenient manner, such, for ex-A ample as by providing a rib oi spline 19 on the screw rods which fit in grooves 20 in the holes inthe ends of the block thorugh which the screw rods project.

The die carrying block' 14 may be raised and lowered, as may be required, by any suitable arrangement of raising and lowering mechanism. A simple arrangement is shown as a practical and .operative embodiment of my invention wherein I mount a rotatable Worm gear nut 21, see Fig. 4, upon each screw rod. the interior threads of the gear nut hub engaging the exterior threads of the screw rod. The worm gear nut 21 is mounted upon, and its hub is received in a .seat formed in a frame member 22 which connects the upper ends of the vertical side standards 12. rll`he worm gear nut 421 is rotated by means of a gear Wheel 23, mounted upon a shaft 24. which is journaled in bearings carried by brackets 25, bolted to the frame member 22. It will be understood, of course, that a worm gear nut 21 and a drive gear 23 therefor is associated with each screw rod. Each gear nut 21 and its associated ear 23 is preferablyk enclosed within a casing 26 to protect them from dust and dirt. If desired, and in order to reduce friction, the thrust up'on the rotatable worm gear nuts may be taken upon an anti-friction bearing such, for example, as the roller` bearing indicated at 27, and the casing 26 may be utilized as a chamber to contain a lubricant for the various working parts of the gearing.

incassa The operating shaft 24 may be driven in any suitable manner, and from any convenient source of power. I have shown a simple drive arran ement which I' have found satisfactory w erein an electric motor 28 is mounted on a bracket 29, ladjustably Supported by a screw rod, (see Fig. 3) on one of the standards 12, and is geared by means of a belt 30, to a pulley 31, on the shaft 24. Since the `motor 28 1s adjustable with reference to `the standard 12 it may be moved back and forth to vary the tension of the driving belt 30.

The die members to be fitted together are respectively mounted on the block 14 and base 10, and secured thereon in any suitable or convenient manner. I have shown the lower face of the die supporting block 14 provided with T-shaped grooves 32, adapted to receive headed bolts, not shown, for the purpose of attaching the die member to the block 14. In like manner. I form the upper surface 0f the base 10 with similar T- grooves 33 for the purpose of securing the other die member in place thereon.

If desired, a separate and independent plate 34, see Figs. 6 and 7, may be applied to either the base 10, or the lower face of the'block 14, for instance, by bolts passing through suitable bolt holes provided in. the plate 34 and having their heads received either in slots 33 or 32 of base 10 or block 14 and the die member to be fitted secured to the auxiliary late by means of bolts to be received in siJots l35 in the face of the auxiliary plate. By this arrangement the auxiliary plate may be removed from the base 10 or block 14 without removal of the die member from the auxiliary plate, and said auxiliary plate and die member securedthereto removed together and transported to and mounted together in the die press. This affords a most convenient arrangement for re-` moving the die members from the tting apparatus after the fitting operations are completed and mounting them in the die presses.

Since the apparatus is not called upon to exert any' pressingl action the duty of the motor 28, acting through the screw rods 16, is merely that of raising and lowering the block 14, and, consequently, only avery small capacity motor may be used, and the screw connectlonsl and the dri-ving mechanism for the worm nuts acting thereon, may be made correspondingly light in weight and very much lighter than if a pressure function were to be accomplished. In operation, one member of the dies to be fitted together is fastened in the base plate 10 and the other member is mounted upon the block 14. The surface of one or the other or both the dies to be fitted together is then coated over with a suitable `paint composi-A tion 'and the block 14 is then lowered until contact is made between the surfaces. The

danger of injuring the die surfaces by continued application of the power which controls the downward movement of the block 14, and after the die surfaces are brought into contact with each other, is obviated bly reason of the loose connections between t e screw rods 16 and the block 14.

While I have described 'my invention as applied to the fit-ting together of single piece die members, it will be understood, of course, that it is e ually well adapted for use in fitting toget er separate cooperating pairs of membersof sectional dies.

Havin now set forth the objects and nature o my invention and aconstruction embodying the (principles thereof, what I claim as new an useful and of my own inveption and desire tno secure by Letters Paten 1s:- 1. Ina die fitting apparatus, a base having means to secure thereto one member of the die to be fitted, a block having means to secure thereto the other die member to be fitted, screw rods having yengaging connections with said block permitting relative movement of block and rods longitudinally of the rods, and gearing for moving said screw rods. 2. In a die fitting apparatus, a base having means to secure thereto one member of the die to be fitted, a blockA having means to secure thereto the other die member to be fitted, screw rods having engaging connections with said vblock permitting relative movement of block and rods longitudinally of the rods, worm gear nuts engaging said screw rods, and means to rotatesaid nuts.

3. In a die fitting apparatus, a base having means to secure thereto one member of the die to be fitted, a block having means to 105 secure thereto the other die member to be fitted, screw rods having engaging connections with said block permitting relative movement of block and rods longitudinally of the rods, means to hold said screw rods 110 against rotation relative to the block, a wormgear nut engaging each rod, and" means to rotate said worm Agear nuts.

4. In a die fitting apparatus, a base having-means to secure thereto one member of the die to be fitted, a block having means to secure thereto'the other die member to be fitted, screw rods having engaging connections with said block permitting relative movement of 'said block and rods longitudi- 120 nally of the rod, worm gear nuts engaging said screw rods, a casing enclosing said nuts, and means to rotate said nuts.

5. In a die fitting apparatus, a base having means to secure thereto one member of the die to be fitted, a block having means to secure thereto the other member to be. fitted, screw rods having engaging connections with said block permitting relative movement of said block and rods longitudinally of' the rods, worm gear nuts engaging said screw rods. a drive gear for each nut, a casing enclosing each nut and its drive gear` and means for driving said drive gear.

6. ln a die fitting apparatus, a base having means to secure thereto one of the die members to be fitted, a block having means to secure thereto theother die member to fitted. screw rods engaging said block so as to permit relative movement of block and rods longitudinally of the rods, worm gear nuts engaging said'screw rods, means to rotate said nuts and an anti-friction thrust bearing for each nut.

7. ln a die'fitting apparatus, a base, vertical standards having guides, a traveling block having guideways at the ends thereof, and fitting between and engaging the guides on said standards, suspending screw rods connected to the ends of said block so as to permit relative movement of rods and block longitudinally of the rods. said screw rods being held against rotation, a Worm gear nut mounted upon each screw, a drive gear mesh ing with each nut, a shaft upon which said drive gears are mounted, and means to drive .said shaft.

8. In a die fitting apparatus, a base, vertical standards having guides,atravelingblock having guideways at the ends thereof, and fitting between and engaging the guides on said standards, screw rods connected to the ends of said block and suspending the same, said rods being so connected to the block as to permit relative movement longitudinally of the rods, said screw rods .being held against rotation, a worm gear nut mounted upon each screw, a drive gear meshing with each worm gear nut, a shaft upon which said drive gears are mounted, and means to drive said shaft, said base and block having grooves upon their opposed faces to aflord means to secure thereto the die members tol be fitted.

9. lin a die fitting apparatus, a base, a die member supporting block, screw rods having loose connections with said block to move the. same towards and from the base capable of' independent longitudinal movement relativelyr thereto. an auxiliary plate for de tachable attachment to either the base or the block, and having means to secure a die member thereto,land mea-ns to operate said screw rods.

10. In a die fitting apparatus, a base, and a supporting block, said parts having means to attach thereto the die members to be fitted together, screw rods having their ends extending into the ends of the block and carrying collars to engage and support the incense block, and means to operate the screw rodsl to attach t creto the i members to be fitted together, screw rods having their ends extending into the ends of the loloclr'and carr ing collars to engage 'and support the bloc means engaging the screw rods to retain the same against rotation, and gearing to move thescrew rods to shift the block towards and from. the base.

12. A die fitting apparatus comprising a base, a carrier vertically movable with respect to said base, a screw rod connected to said carrier to move the same towards and from the base, and an auxiliary plate for detachable attachment with either the base or the carrier said auxiliary platclhavin means to secure a die member thereto, anmeans to operate said screw rod. I

13. A die fitting apparatus comprising a base, means for securing one member of the dies to be fitted to sald base, a vertically movable carrier, means for securing the other member of the die to be fitted to said carrier, and means Jfor raising and lowering said carrier, said means having a slip con' nection with said carrier.

14. A die iitting apparatus comprising a base, means for securing one of the dies to be fitted to said base, a -pair of vertical standards, a movable carrier guided at its ends on said standards, and means for raising and lowering said carrier, said means having a slip connection therewith, and means for securing the other of the dies to be fitted to said carrier.

15. A die fitting apparatus comprising a base having means for securing thereto one member of the dies to be fitted, vertically disposed standards'spaced widely apart from each other, a vertically movable carrier having means 'for securing thereto the other member of the dies to be fitted, and said carrier being guided at its ends by said standards, screw rods'connected to said carrier to raise and lower the same, said rods arranged and operating to raise said carrier to a height above the base to accommodate workmen between the surfaces of the dies to be fitted when the carrier is raised,

to accomplish the fitting operations on thev 

